Following World Rugby’s successful appeal to overturn the controversial decision to reduce his red card, England captain Owen Farrell will miss the first two games of the upcoming World Cup. To the chagrin of English rugby fans, this announcement was made on Tuesday.
England’s Pool D matches against Argentina and Japan will be affected by Farrell’s suspension. It will also include the warm-up matches against Ireland and Fiji that were scheduled for this month, delaying England’s preparations for the tournament significantly.
On August 12th, Farrell was shown a red card for a high tackle on Wales’ Taine Basham during a match at Twickenham. Initially, a disciplinary panel decided to reduce the punishment to a yellow card, which sparked widespread outrage in the rugby community.
Notably, this was not Farrell’s first run-in with disciplinary action for dangerous tackling. The red card became a point of contention, eventually leading to a ban for the talented flyhalf.
The decision of the Appeal Committee was based on the belief that the initial disciplinary panel failed to take into account Farrell’s attempt to wrap his opponent in the tackle. According to the Committee, this was a critical factor that should have been considered, and its omission from the original decision was a major oversight. The Committee contended that the failure to wrap was a critical factor that prompted the Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO) to upgrade the referee’s yellow card to a red card during the match.
Following a thorough examination of this critical component, the Appeal Committee concluded that the FPRO’s decision to award a red card was correct. The Committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play involving contact with the head, which typically results in a six-match suspension, to determine the appropriate sanction. However, they took into account a number of factors, including Farrell’s admission of wrongdoing, his clear demonstration of remorse, and his overall good character. Taking all of these factors into account, the Committee ultimately decided on a four-game suspension.
As a result of this decision, England’s World Cup campaign will start without their influential captain when they face Argentina on September 9th in Marseille. This is a significant setback for England’s hopes, as Farrell’s leadership and playmaking abilities have been crucial to the team’s recent success.
In conclusion, the appeal’s success means that Owen Farrell will miss the first two crucial matches of England’s World Cup campaign. The decision underscores the seriousness with which rugby’s governing bodies view high tackles and foul play and serves as a reminder to all players about the importance of player safety on the field.
Main Image: The Mirror
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